The Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek found former president of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev guilty in absentia of releasing crime boss Aziz Batukayev from custody, but did not impose a sentence due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. Lawyer of the former head of state, Sergei Slesarev, told TASS.
«A verdict has already been made in the Batukaev case. Almazbek Atambayev was found guilty, but no punishment was assigned due to the expiration of the statute of limitations,» he stated.
The court found that Atambayev was involved in the illegal early release of Batukaev from prison in April 2013. Batukaev had been sentenced in 2006 to 16 years in prison for organizing mass riots and illegal possession of weapons. Immediately after his early release, Batukaev left for Grozny.
At least 19 individuals were defendants in the criminal case concerning the illegal release of the crime boss, including former president Almazbek Atambayev, former prosecutors general Indira Dzholdubaeva and Aida Salyanova. The former head of the State Committee for National Security, Busurmankul Tabaldiev, was declared wanted. By the court’s decision, Almazbek Atambayev was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
